The present invention relates to the art of separating immiscible liquids and is particularly useful in the separation of water from oils such as lubricating, diesel or fuel oil while the oil is in use. For example in the case of lubricating oil, the oil can be from the oil pan of a gear box or other power transmission device.
The adverse effect of the presence of water in lubricating oil has been known for some time, however the severity of the damage caused by the presence of water in lubricating oil, particularly where an emulsion is formed, has not been appreciated until recently. Accordingly, in lubricated operating equipment and particularly in power driven transmission equipment, removal of any water from the lubricating oil is necessary to prevent serious damage to expensive moving parts and particularly to bearings. For example, it is now known that as little as 0.2% water in lubricating oil substantially reduces the life expectancy of precision bearings.
The presence of water in fuel or diesel oil can be equally disadvantageous.
In operation of some devices such as motors, oil is conventionally pumped through a filtering device so the oil and water mixture is separated and oil particles contained therein are floated to the top of a separator due to the differences specific gravity between oil and the water. However, the various prior art arrangements have not been adaptable to use in connection with operating equipment, for removal of water from oil because of the size, operating complexity, and expense of prior art devices.
Other prior art arrangements as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,035,302 4,022,687, and 3,656,912 have been provided for oil/water separation but are, expensive, and cumbersome. The prior art has also included absorption and aggregation type separating devices as shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,038,186 and 4,603,587 to include means which require the use of the mechanical moving means for the oil/water stream and have not been adapted for removal of the water from lubricating oil. Further, devices of the type taught in the prior art generally require frequent attendance by operating personnel.
In another arrangement shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,544,712, a device is featured for the separation of petrol from water where separation is effected by delivering the fluid to a collector chamber, reversing the direction of motion in the chamber, where a deflector is provided to accomplish dynamic separation of the oil and water.
U.S. Pat. No. 493,073, Darragh teaches an oil filter arrangement providing a valve at the bottom of a casing which receives the oil where a sight glass is provided to gage the amount of water in the bottom of the device. The water is then removed manually on a periodic basis through a valve.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,767,848, Beckett teaches an apparatus for continuous withdrawal of an immiscible liquid phases. A vertical column is provided where the oil water mixture flows into a contacting zone and a packed section is provided where the oil/water mixture flows into a contacting zone and a packed section is provided for separation of the oil and water. Drip legs are provided, one longer than the other, and the inlet of one located in the water phase and the other located in the oil phase to continuously draw oil and water.
U.S. Pat. No. 745,519, Previcha, et. al. teaches a separator where an oil/water mixture is supplied to a chamber with a dual overflow where the water layer overflows one overflow where the water layer overflows one overflow means and the oil overflows through the other overflow means.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,162,185, Nonnenbruch teaches a automatic liquid separator for continuous separation of two immiscible liquids of different specific gravity.
No prior art arrangement is known which provides means for automatic or intermittent separation of water from a oil medium where the device requires no mechanical means for movement of the oil and water mixture in the device for separation.